We Need To Care For Our Aging Population

We Need To Care For Our Aging Population

( by Neha Soni )

Have you seen more elderly people around you nowadays?

No, it’s not your imagination.

Before we start to think about why we need to care about the aging population, we have to understand what it is.

What is population aging? 

Population aging is a rise in the median age of a population due to decreasing fertility rates and rising life expectancy. Most countries have a rising life expectancy and an aging population. This is the case for each country in the world except the 18 countries designated as "demographic outliers" by the UN.

Declining fertility, increasing longevity, and therefore the progression of large-sized cohorts to the older ages are causing elder shares to rise throughout the world. The phenomenon of population aging brings with it thoughts of needs and capacities of people, with potentially significant implications for employment, savings, consumption, economic process, asset values, and monetary balance. 

What role do elderly people play in our life?

• They can be helpful in our applying lessons of life, e.g. self-esteem, self-respect, self-discipline.

• They offer a great deal of satisfaction and joy to be around them.

• They have such a lot to administer, intangibly, to us.

• They have learned the teachings of humility.

• They are fun companions when we learn how to be in their company.

• They know things we would never guess unless we ask.

• They can help us deal with disappointment and grief, illness and heartache.

• They know how important a sense of humour is.

Impact of Aging Population:-

(1). Lower crime rate- 

It's likely that older communities will become more law-abiding, since older people are less inclined to commit crimes. There'll be less crime altogether, leading to money being saved in prisons and policing costs in the future. With aging, people get to grasp what is right or wrong and hence prefer to right path which ultimately decreases the crime rate.

(2). Familial advantages- 

Older people tend to play a role in supporting and maintaining informal social networks, which successively bind communities and families together. They provide childcare, financial, practical and emotional assistance to members of the family including helping people outside the household with the tasks of daily living.

(3). Increased dependency rate- 

A rise in the proportion of people over the age of 65, there will be a decreased proportion of individuals of workforce age. This implies that there will be more people claiming benefits like state pensions and fewer people working and paying income taxes, causing a rise in dependency ratio.

(4). Health issues- 

Due to the increase in life expectancy, it is expected that older people are going to experience pathological state and disability due to disease. The bulk of those illnesses are strongly related to age like chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. These elderly patients are going to spend most of their time in hospitals during their treatment, and it is thought that patients diagnosed with chronic conditions and age-related diseases take up most health care provision and expenditure in hospitals.

(5). Less work participation- 

Decline in workforce participation is strongly related to the aging population. There is an unspoken preference by employers to employ younger workers even though ‘older’ workers have more experience and are more likely to have a greater work performance than younger workers. This will impact on workload and also to the economic condition of the country.

Ways to care about the aging population:-

(1). Health care- 

Healthcare systems must offer a variety of services to fulfil senior needs, specializing in preventive care, long-term care, and care for chronic conditions. More nurses, medics, physician assistants, and doctors are going to be necessary to produce proper access to care and experience better health outcomes.

(2). Exercise- 

Exercise programs to boost strength and balance can decrease the incidence of falls, helping seniors stay healthy and independent for longer duration. Communities should offer specialized senior exercise programs to assist seniors manage chronic conditions and lower their risk of falls.

(3). Financial programs- 

Today’s seniors need more wealth to fund their retirement. Policymakers should consider protecting and expanding financial security and assistance programs for seniors, including social security and Medicare. 

(4). Transportation- 

Many seniors can no longer drive safely but still need to visit doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, and other necessary trips so communities should institute affordable senior transportation services so that seniors can receive the care they need.

(5). Workforce opportunities- 

Today’s workforce has to understand the necessities of seniors across industries. Employers should consider providing training opportunities for seniors and help them to grow in their second phase of life.

(6). Housing/ maintenance- 

Many seniors cannot take care of their homes. They are at risk of injuries as they try to make repairs. To lower these risks, communities should offer them affordable living communities including a helping staff to take care of them.

Though an aging population presents many challenges, communities should provide assistance to seniors to make them live a decent quality of life. In this way, they will experience less strain and feel confident in the future.

Education plays an important role in a person’s life and helps to become socially, emotionally, and mentally strong. We should try to give education to children who are not privileged. 

LIGHT DE LITERACY (LDL)

We at Light de literacy (LDL) provide free education to underprivileged students to help them to build their careers. 

LDL is an NGO, run by a group of socially active, determined & educated youths who have been working for children living in slums since 2012. This NGO shows the vision for the future guided by the motto Educate * Empower * Enlighten.

Disclaimer:-

The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Light de Literacy and LDL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.